Community feeling on Drag

[Micki_Finn]

Some of you here know me, and know that I am probably the sole representative of the Drag scene. There are a wide range of opinions on Drag here, so I?m curious to plumb those opinions. Which of the following most closely approximates your feeling on Drag:

0) What?s drag?
1) I have not been to a drag show or watched RuPaul or Boulet Brothers in the last 15 years, but I think I know what it?s all about and it?s not anything I would enjoy watching or doing.
2) I HAVE been to a drag show or watched a TV show about it and it?s not for me.
3) I don?t know anything about it, but I?m curious/interested.
4) I have seen a modern Drag performance and I enjoy watching but would never do.
5) I might do it under the right circumstances.
6) PUT ME ON STAGE RIGHT NOW!

Feel free to elaborate on your answers.

[Wen4cd]

I'm in the middle on it. Don;t watch TV at all, so have no idea what's going on there, but I've seen a few live things at different venues and a couple youtube videos,

It seems like it could be a fun outlet, but the few tidbits of shows I have seen lead me to believe that you had best be a awesome dancer and performer and know your act to a tee, or else there is an awkward, lip-synching trainwreck going on for all to see.

[lingerieLiz]

4)I've been to a few drag shows less than half a dozen over all these years.

The ones that I went to were top productions. My wife and friends who knew I was a crossdresser enjoyed them as well as I did. I went to one and it was terrible. The ones which were renowned were fun and had great talent. I messed up one night and while we were waiting to get in a couple started talking to me (I was alone) They were well versed in Drag. The wife and I started talking about clothes while waiting for the show to start. We were staying at the same hotel and the next day she ran into me in the lobby and said she had called to see if I wanted to go shopping for some new outfits but I wasn't in. We were both leaving in the morning. She dressed really nice.

[Princess Chantal]

7) been to numerous show, done it for a few years, enjoyed it, and much respect for those that do it.

[Sandi Beech]

Micki,

I guess you could put me in group 4, as I have no intent to perform - no talent , otherwise heck yea. I have been to many shows. Some were so so, but occasionally there will be an awesome performance. Sometimes I am amazed at the acrobatic things some really big girls can do ; )

I do not really seek out the shows, it is more like I am going with the flow of the clubs I visit. Before covid and during summer, there are lots of bachelorette parties at one of my favorite clubs on weekends. The audience is typically filled with more women than men, and with dancing after the show it is a blast. Also, with all the drag queens around, it makes me all the more comfortable being crossdressed. Of course I have leaned not to sit in the front row else a drag queen comes up to me and next thing you know a spot light is on me and I get this question - and what is your name? Ha. Too funny.

So bottom line. Heck yea, it is a great place to be dressed even if you do not want to perform plus I met nice people in the crowd - and just so you know, I am an excellent tipper at shows and take care of my bartenders as well. It is always appreciated.

Sandi

[Asew]

4) I am not very outgoing and much prefer being a cute wallflower

I am fan of RuPaul's drag race, been to a few of the show featuring queens on the show, and a few other local events with local queens. In addition to not being outgoing enough to do drag on a stage, I also am not into makeup, wigs, and such. I love being entertained by those who do drag. I see parallels between my crossdressing and drag queens.

[Marguarite]

I am a solid #4, love to attend, would never get up on stage.

My wife took me to one drag show that was a fund raiser at a VFW. She even encouraged me to go dressed pretty, helped pick outfit, and helped with makeup. We had a great time, I was the only member of the audience dressed pretty, and got a lot of compliments.

When we lived down south, we would do a night out with the girls to "Hamburger Mary's". My wife and two of her friends that appreciated spending time with Marguarite.

[MarinaTwelve200]

Drag queens and drag freaks me out. To me it's too "masculine" and "kinky" Just my feelings.

[Jean 103]

Don't care for it.

Yes I've watched it, I had a boyfriend that would take me. I was only 17 at the time and stayed close to him. Yes I was under age in a gay club, they never carded me. As I said I was with my boyfriend who was popular.

I did not start dress at the time.

[Pumped]

I am probably a #2.

I watched a couple of RuPaul's Drag Race and have seen a few videos. No interest in doing it, and I guess very little interest in drag. If you want to post about it I probably will read the posts. I can understand others interest and no judgement from me. It it is your thing, then have fun!

I am not a very judgmental person. If you enjoy doing something that has no affect on other people, I am ok with it.

[AllieSF]

I am with Wren on this one. I saw one professional one at Finochio's in San Francisco. That was great and everyone was spot on. any others that I have seen over the years were all less than worth watching for me. Some people I was with liked them, but the lip-synching, musical moves and poor stage presence, timing, and humor were all terrible. I have no interest in seeing it unless a friend is doing it or it is all done by professionals, whatever that means in the industry.

[Stephanie47]

I probably fall into #1. I really do not like it when men dressing in women's clothing becomes something of levity. Most of what I have seen is attire and makeup that is over the top. I don't care for the exaggeration. It's a man pretending to be a woman with no real attempt to appear as a woman.

[Sometimes Steffi]

Micki

2) I HAVE been to a drag show or watched a TV show about it and it?s not for me.

One of the places I hang out with my CD/TG friends is Freddie's Beach Bar in Arlington VA. They have a regular drag show their with local professionals. The drag shows are very fun and entertaining, and there's usually at least one group of GGs there for a bachelorette party. I do, however, wish that the drag queens were more normal feminine and less uber feminine caricatures.

5) I might do it under the right circumstances.

However, it would only be after a high volume of alcohol consumption. It would be a fine line between being able to do it, and passing out from too much alcohol consumption. The truth is that I have no talent for being a drag queen; however, I might be trainable.

Are you planning on offering online lessons Micki?

[Karren H]

Obviously I learnt what drag queen is from watching movies.....

Noxeema Jackson : "When a straight man puts on a dress and gets his sexual kicks, he is a transvestite. When a man is a woman trapped in a man's body and has a little operation he is a Transsexual. When a gay man has way too much fashion sense for one gender he is a drag queen."

To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar.....

[darla_g]

Micki i've seen some drag shows over the years. In particular the Vegas style campy show is what i most thing of when i think drag.

I think i prefer the looks now a days that are not so cartoonish. thinking Miss Fame or Violet Chachki rather than a Sharon Needles is more my preference.
I think i have seen some of your threads and i think you come off kind of classy and stylish

a qualified5

[DianeT]

Hi Micki,

Number 2. I know drag only from short scenes in films and series and glimpses in the TV news during the Rainbow Pride walks. The only movies I saw where the subject was central were Priscilla, queen of the desert (very touching and lovable movie) and "La cage aux folles" (sorry mods, it's a French title, but that's the title under which it was run on Broadway and in movie theaters) which could more or less be translated as "The cage of queens", and which is a beloved classic in France, although it is a comedy predating drag and therefore approaching it with the prejudices of its era.
I have never been to a show, so I don't really know what drag is. I would intuitively link it back to Brazil's carnival for its festive and glam elements, and to the long tradition of cabaret.

[Robertacd]

I have to say I did not like it at first. I didn't like the whole over the top presentation as that's what CD/TG often are called or lumped in with.

But living in a small community there's not a lot else to do CD/TG beside got to the surprisingly large number of DRAG performances that happen locally. Watching these people one summer compete in a "Drag Wars" and getting to know them and their performances, I really learned to appreciate all the different styles and the work they put in. The main thing I learned is DRAG means a lot of things.

I like classy Queens the best and funny Queen if she is indeed funny, a couple of the local Drag Kings have incredible makeup skills, there's one horror Queen that is truly scary at times.

I am a 5 there's a local Queen or two that I would be honored to have as my Drag Mother, but it would take a lot more than good makeup to get me on stage, as the local Queens set the bar pretty high.

[Leslie Langford]

From what I can discern, there are female "impersonators" ("illusionists", "impressionists", "mimics" , and "femulators" etc.) like Jim Bailey, Grae Phillips, Lavern Cummings, and Frank Marino who try to emulate glamorous female celebrities in a respectful, aspirational, and awe-Inspired manner. In some cases, they create their own on-stage personas in the same vein...authentic and relatable, and as a female alter ego. In short, something that I, as a crossdresser, can easily relate to.

"Drag Queens" of the "RuPaul's Drag Race" variety leave me cold, and to be honest, I just don't "get" it. With their over-the-top make-up and garish costumes they come across to me as nothing more than painted, outlandishly dressed clowns...including their acts. More to the point, what they do strikes me as a passive-aggressive, mean-spirited mockery of women, so I find it doubly puzzling that so many cis-women are taken by this "art form" as opposed to being offended by it. One of the mysteries of life, I guess.

So, no...not a huge fan of "drag"...I just don't understand it. Maybe someone better versed In the "arts" can explain the appeal to me.

[AngelaYVR]

I sort of cut my teeth on “drag lite” years ago. It was really fun and I got to know some of the local queens. A few were warm and welcoming and the others let it be known they did not like interlopers on THEIR stage. It’s a tough business with limited opportunities and too many queens vying for stage time. I wasn’t interested in the “lifestyle” and only did it to get out of my shell and just have fun. I performed on the amateur night (called Faux Girls) which was open to anyone that came prepared with music and I would do it again (except the new drag empress closed it to all but her friends, it lost public support and they scrapped it). Still have fond memories of it.

[Beverley Sims]

Drag is a great art, the performers all seem supportive of each other and I wish I had a good act to get out there and WOW! the audience like others.

None of your questions apply as I have been on stage as a support for others.

Oh! yes there is bitchiness between some, but they are just jealous of someone that appears better than them. :-)

[CharlotteCD]

Watched "Drag SOS" and totally get it can be powerful and great for you, but like an above poster, it leaves me totally cold.

Having come out to people, when I've shared an image they've often been shocked at how I go for the passable look, when they're expecting something more sexualised or more akin to a drag OTT look.

I'm confident it's going to be in line with black face one day.

[Kiwi Primrose]

I have always had a great respect for drag entertainers. Trevor Rupe a.k.a. Carmen arrived in Wellington, NZ, in the late 1960s-early 1970s and set up a late night coffee lounge and in different premises a burlesque strip show.
My wife and I visited both frequently and got to know Carmen reasonably well. She was a great business woman and we discussed all manner of things, especially the business affairs in Wellington and New Zealand.
Her showgirls were mostly transgender with some GGs and the shows were very well presented and controlled, not at all sleazy. It was always difficult to know which were the trans and which were the GGs.
To answer the original posting - We both love the drag queens and the shows they do. We have had great experiences chatting with them - quite personally sometimes.
I would love to be able to perform but have ne talent whatsoever and at my age I have left it too late anyway.

[Rachelakld]

Going with a 2
Been to a Drag show, it was okay, others enjoyed it - I probably didn't drink enough to get into as much as those who's bosses were paying for the drinks.

[faltenrock]

I have to go with number 2.

There is only one drag show that's fantastic, it's in London and the performer is 'Mary Mac'. She's just great singing, dancing and she is soo much fun to watch and listen to.

Other than that, I don't really enjoy drag shows

[char GG]

The only drag show that I've seen was at a local gay bar. The drag queen lip synced, was swearing a lot, and strutted around expecting tips. There was really no talent involved. I think that a true drag "production" would have been better.

Pre-pandemic, I worked at a concert venue where some famous drag queens were performing. I didn't see the show but the audience was dressed mostly in drag. It looked like they had a good time.

I guess I would be in the #2 group.